I think the expression captured on the face of House Speaker John Boehner in the photo above, taken during tonight's State of the Union Speech, is actually more accurately representative than the one of President Obama. Boehner appeared simply stultified at times during the presentation, and for very good reason...

I'm not usually a fan of these addresses, even though Obama almost always delivers them well, but tonight he laid down a 2012 gauntlet from top to bottom in what even the folks on Fox "News" afterward were forced to concede was one helluva speech.

The mortician-like Charles Krautheimer begrudgingly admitted the President had "hit the right tone for a State of the Union" and the rage-filled former newsman Brit Hume said that Obama had "made a reasonable case for himself." Believe it or not, that's huge praise from that corner.

In my opinion, after months of Republicans creating an entirely phony case against an imaginary President (about whom a real case could easily be made, even as the entirety of the GOP has either declined or failed to do so), it was nice to see just a bit of a Return to Reality, if only for just over an hour or so tonight. Obama both rebutted and prebutted the arguments that have been made against him throughout the endless GOP campaign to date, and those that are clearly set to be made against him between now and November. He dismantled each and every one of them, piece by piece.

Will it work? That remains to be seen, but I'm fairly certain I noticed a whole bunch of thought bubbles floating above the heads of most of the Republicans in the chamber which, if I was able to read them correctly, seemed to say "Fuck. We're gonna lose this year."

All the while the President stayed positive, offering precious little for Republicans to use against him, and Lord knows they were looking for anything. In truth, it was so positive and forward looking and populist, it all sounded more like an Inauguration Address than a State of the Union speech.

The visit to Fact Land was but a brief respite, as we returned quickly thereafter to Fantasy Island when Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels stepped in for the impossible Republican response to note absurdities such as "the President's constant disparagement of people in business"; "a perfectly safe pipeline that would employ tens of thousands"; "No feature of the Obama Presidency has been sadder than its constant efforts to divide us"; and then this:

In word and deed, the President and his allies tell us that we just cannot handle ourselves in this complex, perilous world without their benevolent protection. Left to ourselves, we might pick the wrong health insurance, the wrong mortgage, the wrong school for our kids; why, unless they stop us, we might pick the wrong light bulb!

Yes, the man who many Republicans, to this day, are still begging to get into the 2012 Presidential race, actually said those things. I saw it with my own eyes.

Meanwhile, back at the actual State of the Union, of particularly disgraceful note was the absence of Supreme Court Justices Scalia, Thomas and Alito, which I described during my live coverage on Twitter as "lame, pathetic, offensive, partisan and unAmerican." I'll stick by that description.

And while it's always painful watching the "loyal opposition", no matter which party they may be, put on a game face and make cordial at these affairs, there were points this evening when it struck me as simply remarkable that folks like Boehner, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell couldn't even bring themselves to fake it.

For example, near the top of the speech, Obama noted: "Today, General Motors is back on top as the world’s number one automaker. Chrysler has grown faster in the U.S. than any major car company. Ford is investing billions in U.S. plants and factories. And together, the entire industry added nearly 160,000 jobs." Even for that rousing list of undeniable American successes (admittedly among many more failures over the past three years) Boehner couldn't bring himself to even offer a pretend, polite golf clap.

Similarly, he couldn't be moved to even act as if he approved of these words from the President: "We need to change our tax code so that people like me, and an awful lot of Members of Congress, pay our fair share of taxes." Bah, humbug. Fairness?! Who needs it?!

I thought it was a rather stunning spectacle all night long, to be frank --- even by today's embarrassing standards. But that's what we've now come to. It's gonna be an ugly year...But you knew that already.

* * *

Beyond that, you are welcome to scroll through my Twitter commentary and snarkage for all of the live play-by-play if you like. I've gotta run tonight as tomorrow looks to be a big day. But I wanted to offer a few observations so you all could offer your own thoughts in return, which may well, as is often the case, be very different than mine. Feel free to have at me.

One reason tomorrow is a big day is that I'm looking forward to finally interviewing GOP Presidential candidate and former Louisiana Gov. Buddy Roemer on my KPFK/Pacifica Radio show from 3-4p PT. Another is that I just heard from Mike Malloy who's having some technical problems at his studio and may need me to jump in and cover for him on the show tomorrow night from 6-9p PT. So my work is cut out for me and I need to run. So I'll leave the rest of the post-game analysis to you all...

"...Will it work? That remains to be seen, but I'm fairly certain I noticed a whole bunch of thought bubbles floating above the heads of most of the Republicans in the chamber which, if I was able to read them correctly, seemed to say "Fuck. We're gonna lose this year."

BwHHAHAaahHAHA, Brad! I thought the very same thing, watching the State of the Union here in Appalachia w/ a group of (20 or so?)ABINGTON OCCUPIERS at a SOTU Q&A here in the BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS...!

My Appalachia pals and I were taking a BOEHNER smirk count - and he didn't smirk but 4 times - the rest of his expressions seem to deviate between a hostile glare and some kind of "joker" chop-licking...

Cantor looked like he was passing a kidney-stone..

And McConnell seemed more "Yurtel the Turtle" than even Dr. Suess could've rhymed.

It was a great speech and I don't even LIKE OBAMA! Good Times! Great assessment. WoooOOT!

The Repubs are gonna have the SAME effin' trouble riggin in 2012 as they did in 2008 - in spite of alleviating ACORN and all the various, devious ways they can "excuse" a DEM victory. Not sure that's a GOOD thing, but SO happy we don't have to worry about a Gingrich / Romney presidency...

...we don't. If there's an OCCUPY APPALACHIA?
Oh, my Brad Tribe - we are WINNING. And not in the Charlie Sheen sense of the phrase. We are ACTUALLY WINNING.

Really? An address that was mostly a long list of new spending proposals, government agencies, regulations, rules, and oversight is going to balance the budget, structurally reform, and create jobs? Seriously?

Obama's address was more of the same- spend money we don't have, blow taxpayer money on 'investments', make it more expensive to do business and hire workers in America, and all the while complain that the other side won't give in 100% to your plans unless you control every part of government. And you thought it was good?

Start fighting for the working man and help out the poor in this nation and stop supporting Obama.

Read my review and comments of his speech at:
aconservativeteacher.blogspot.com

I am THRILLED about the quality of this speech! The amazing thing is to compare the content of it to the standard GOP responses, which were simply the same old tired mantra - he's grabbing power, he's bad for business, he's dividing the country. It is a speech about bringing the country together, with good ideas about how to balance badly needed investment with increasing efficiency and fair taxes. I can't understand how it can be perceived as anything else.

This is the man I am so proud to have worked one getting elected - and this is a speech for the history books.

I wasn't gonna watch this speech cuz I didn't feel like being lied to again. Was watching the Australian Open tennis instead. During commercials though I'd take a peek and Obama did catch my attention for reasons cited here by Brad and Jeannie. Didn't listen to the whole thing by any means but what I did catch seemed to be a mix of inspirational and delusional, accent on the inspirational.

The little I caught of Mitch Daniels was pure back to completely cuckoo land.

All over the web in Conservative land where all the Conservatives stay to get their ears tickled. There are numerous blogs posting the same old Conservative mantra. When looked at closely, one can see the abject Fear that is spreading like a wild fire over in Conservative land.

The speech's title, "An America Built to Last," was the first of numerous howlers from the land where Opposites are Truths: Technological Obsolescence absolutely regins supreme in the US Empire where nothing's been made to last since the 1930s. Obama vowed to continue his campaign to defund Social Security, while also vowing to once again bring accountibility to criminals: One guess as to which vow will actually be carried out. And there are so many more. It should be noted that Biden is just as sour-faced as Boehner in the photo, which is unsurprising given the load of shit being dumped.

I'm sorry. I had planned to take your critique seriously until I got to your website and saw your crazy headlines and articles such as this one on the Keystone XL pipeline in which you derided Obama as "lazy" (codeword, eh?) and used disinformed, Fox-fueled nonsense such as "which failed to move quickly and efficiently to implement the plan and bring jobs and energy to our nation" and "perhaps it would even be finished and transporting cheap energy from our friend from the north right now, lowering gas prices and helping poor people heat their homes more cheaply during this cold winter."

Miss by a mile. You DO know every drop of that dirty oil was slated for export to China, not use here, would actually result in an increase in domestic oil prices and that the pipeline would offer a few hundred jobs, at best (by the pipeline company's own admission), right?

If you don't know that, shame on you for being so "lazy" not to find out before posting such a misinformed and disinformative article. If you do, then shame on you for your blatant dishonesty.

In your article on the SOTU last night you wrote:

In 2008, the 'house of cards collapsed'- banks made loans they shouldn't have (which he pushed for a community activist), regulators didn't do their jobs (which they were not held accountable for), bonuses were paid to these banks and government agencies (to which they were never held accountable for)... he is on the wrong side of the ledger here- he was pushing for the collapse and after the collapse did not hold those people accountable.

You're right on the lack of accountability, though he called for exactly that last night in his speech, even as you failed to note that while condemning him. But as to "pushing for" loans banks shouldn't have made, uh, what is your evidence for that? I suspect you have none. If it's his tenuous ties to ACORN, then I hope you know that ACORN had taken the lead for years in trying to put an end to the predatory loans that eventually killed the banking industry. But, of course, I'm happy to hear what actual evidence you have for your claim.

You also wrote:

perhaps if he would have had some sort of a job at some point in business or in the private sector or in some sort of productive economic enterprise he'd know that increasing regulations, fees, requirements, red tape, and the such encourage employers not to hire.

You do know that Dubya had implemented almost the same number of "regulations" at this point in his Presidency as Obama, right? But what "fees, requirements and red tape" are you referring to which "encourage employers not to hire"? I suspect you're pulling that out of your hind quarters like so much of the other nonsense you posted.

Speaking of "lazy"! It's a shame that as a "teacher" you lack the intellectual curiosity to actual seek verifiable facts, rather than partisan-based falderal, before posting such puerile and self-defeating and inaccurate nonsense behind and apparent "courageous" curtain of anonymity, I might add.

Don't know who (or if) you actually teach. But I'm sorry to say, if you do, and if you share the same type of nonsense with them that you posted on your website, I feel VERY sorry for your students.

Yves of Naked Capitalism had an interesting piece on how the banking fraud committee with Schniederman in charge is likely at trap. I tend to agree that Holder is a lame protector of elites, and of course, Geithner,is still around...he was so smart he was sure we;d all have sainted him by now, in his comments at the FED five years ago.

Obama, I cant figure, he seems willing to do battle sometimes, but then tolerates and appeases Summer, Geitner, Holder. He adovacates for the creation of CFPB and puts Warren at lead but still keeps Geitnher around, even when he wanted Warren's head. Obama could have easily let the CFPB die, no one would have been suprised if it had, shoot Warren had just first suggested it in a article in small magazine in 2007, but Obama fought for it and gave Warren a year to set it up as right as possible. If he was just an apologist for bankers, playing a long game, that would not have been remotely neccesary. But then there sits see-no-evil Holder. If Warren is right, if Dem state AGs are right in there fights against bad mortgage assignments, if populism and hating bankers is a winning political strategy in these times why not clear out the chaf in admin and go for it.

Why not announce a "War on Fraud; Repubs always like a good war, talk about robo-signing, toxic crapped packaged and sold to pension by lies about its supposed quality. Couch it in policing and military terms. Talk more about how you are protecting honest business people and people who have worked hard for their money. Talk about farmers ripped off by MF Global. These things have bipartisan appeal if the right language and delicacy is used. Obama sort does want this but why not ask Holder to resign, what the hell has he done anyways? Giving in on nukes and frakking seems bipartisan, moderate politics, giveing in on banking fraud is just poltically stupid selling out, strange for someone, Obama,who hestitates to be a complete sellout

Conservative Teacher's response is not analysis. It is nonsensical fascistic dribble. As a teacher you should be fired for lack of a balanced approach. I guess all the education you underwent did very little for you to learn skills in balanced critical thinking. I think you would be better teaching pre-kindergarteners so you won't infect children with your blathering. You are a disgrace. Iran's right-wing conservatives are looking for teachers, A teacher -

I so would like to believe. I worked for him. I voted for him.
But where was he when scientists were kept away from and reporters were being arrested for photographing the BP spill? Where is the EPA on possible dangers from Fukishima, oh they decided to raise the level of radiation that is considered unhealthy. Where has his Justice Dept. been when it comes to investigating the perps on Wall St. that fueled the crash of 2007? Why has a Monsanto exec been appointed to the FDA? Why is Geitner still there? Why are whistle blowers being harassed and even arrested.. for transparency? And what about throwing out the Geneva Convention and the US Constitution with summary executions and indefinite detention without representation of even US citizens deemed "terrorists" by no really specific definition that I have seen. I don't understand why the neocons aren't jumping for joy. Maybe they are.
I hope this time he means it.
It looks to me like the choice this year is between a beautiful Trojan Horse or stark raving lunatics.
We are FUBAR.

I really enjoyed the speech. Now back to real life with a president who hasn't fought hard for anything progressive or substantial in 3 years. In, fact he and his p.eople have actively derided progressives and failed to make progress even where Republicans couldn't stop him.

I'm done being wooed by a campaign speech. Good ideas knowing there will be little follow through and lots of excuses. Show me!

Indeed, when it comes to foreign policy, I was perhaps more disturbed than Nader. The President's "all options are on the table" with respect to Iran is precisely what we heard from the Bush regime with respect to Iraq.

The gist of Nader's critique reminded me of my father's admonition to "watch what people do, not what they say."

Anyone who's paid attention has seen a fundamental gap between the 2008 "change we can believe in" promise and the reality of the past three years.

Nader captured that by questioning the credibility of Obama's words about starting a corporate crimes unit at the DoJ, stating:

Where has he been for over three years? He’s had the Justice Department. There are existing laws that could prosecute and convict Wall Street crooks. He hasn’t sent more than one or two to jail.

In addition to Nader's critique, let's not forget how Obama not only shut out single-payer advocates during the health care debate but swiftly abandoned his promise of a public option.

In addressing income inequality, Obama co-opted the core message of Occupy Wall Street without affording any credit to those who took to the streets to insure that this core issue of our time came to the forefront.

While one has to be pleased that Obama, at least in this election year, is willing to block Keystone, reject oil industry subsidies and take on inequities in our tax code, progressives should insist on a reduction of the gap between the Obama promise and the reality.

President Obama has failed on some fronts by trying to compromise with the republican party. He has accomplished quite a bit with the R's voting no on every piece of legislation that he tried to get through. Name one President in the last 100 years that have had a congress that has
voted no as many times. No one seems to talk about congress which as an approval rate so low. Also when you have a so called news program being a propoganda for the other party. I voted for Obama and I will vote for him again. People seem to forget that the R's controlled congress, senate and president for 6 years and almost put this country into a depresssion. Congress's approval rating is the lowest for a reason. They want him to be a one term president. Vote Republican and maybe we can get another tax cut and fight Iran at the same time. I mean we have fought two wars and had two tax cuts at the same time.

The Secret Service should have put the smackdown on brewer.....she got too close, what if she had been armed!?

This kind of outright hostility from the extreme right-wingers in the repubulican party should not be tolerated! Did you see the new crosshair stickers some radical rightie is putting on democrats? Did you forget Gabby Gifford's horrific attack just a year ago?

I say tell the Secret Service to protect their charge, and keep enemies, both foreign AND domestic at more than 'arms length' from our Commander-In-Chief.